Trojan Basketball Starts Today
The start of the 2022-23 basketball season is here for the Dakota State men’s basketball team with their first game of the season tonight when they host the Dakota State Tournament. The Trojans will play two games in the tournament, with the first one against Briar Cliff tomorrow and then Midland on Saturday.
Last year the Trojans finished the season 13-18 and 7-7 in the NSAA Conference. Part of the overall losing record was them struggling out the gate, such as starting the season off 0-3.
DSU will have a tough slate of games again early this season, though Head Coach Gary Garner does see some benefits to the hard schedule early on.
Garner noted that his team might struggle early, but down the stretch feels they will be tough to beat as they pursue their goals of making it to the national tournament. Part of what could make the Trojans a tough team is the amount of depth that the team has, which is something that Garner likes about this team.
Garner also says that he likes the attitude that his team has and their approach to practice.
The Trojans enter the year ranked fifth in the NSAA Preseason Coaches’ Poll (full poll can be found below), but the way the Trojans can improve that preseason ranking starts, regardless of outcome, with this weekends games because the young team can go back and watch the tape, while also learning what it takes to win.
Tip off tonight against Briar Cliff is at 7:30pm and then they will play Midland at 7pm on Saturday. Trojans will start NSAA play on December 3rd against the top ranked team in the NSAA, Bellevue.
It might take a little while for the team to gel with the amount of youth, but Coach Garner fully expects his team to be a problem for other teams when the games begin to matter the most.
Below is the complete 2022-23 NSAA Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Preseason Poll:
| 2022-23 North Star Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll | ||
| Rank | School | Points |
| 1 | Bellevue (Neb.) (6) | 56 |
| 2 | Mayville State (N.D.) (1) | 49 |
| 3 | Viterbo (Wis.) (1) | 45 |
| 4 | Valley City State (N.D.) | 40 |
| 5 | Dakota State (S.D.) | 38 |
| 6 | Dickinson State (N.D.) | 31 |
| 7 | Waldorf (Iowa) | 16 |
| 8 | Presentation (S.D.) | 12 |
| *First-place votes in parenthesis | ||
